converted to Chriftianity fo lately: for it is certain that the truths
of this religion had been preached amongft them as early as the
middle of the ninth century, there being ftill extant a refcript of
the Emperor Ludovicus Pius, who lived at that time, for this
purpofe, wherein the Laplanders are exprefsly mentioned by the
name of Skrit Finni.
SECTION XXV.
O/' the Magic yii't prattifed hy the Laplanders : Runic Drum,
Ganic Flies, Juoige, and Noaaid.
TH E magic art is faid to have been introduced in the North
by Odin, who brought it with him from the Eaft, and in-
ftru&ed the F in n i; which people becoming great proficients in
the art of directing the agency o f ipirits, obtained the name in
thefe countries of Finne-kunjl, that is to lay, the fcience o f the
Fins. T h e early chronicles of Norway record the extraordinary
feats of magic performed by their kings Haldan and Gunner;
how that the firft caufed a banquet to vaniih from before his
sruefts, and that the laft, by his invifible agents,O * J procured fuch intelligence
of the fecret practices of his enemies, as to enable him
to fruftrate all their defigns. They make mention likewife of
Eric Windus, a king of Sweden, who could change the wind
with a turn of his hat ; and of Siwald, another Swediih monarch,
who had feven fons all equally ikilful in the arts of magic.
It is unneceflary to mention the great knowledge which the
female fex have attained to in this fcience: there is fcarcely a
perfon who has not heard of Lapland witches, A iorcereis produced
a number of infernal fpirits before Hadin, a king of Nor-
R r 2 way,